Page 148 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9

8812. Then at 10.21 there is an entry that the ship was stopped in latitude 42·5 north and longitude 50·7 west? - Yes. 8813. Do you know who took that position? - The captain gave us that position. 8814. Did you or not subsequently verify this position? - Yes. 8815. When did you verify it? - The next day. 8816. And did you find this position to be accurate? - Yes. 8817. At noon on the 15th did you take observations to fix your position? - Yes. 8818. Who was taking part in these observations? - All the officers took them. 8819. Did you get good sights? - Very good sights. 8820. Did the sights taken by the various officers agree? - They all agreed. 8821. And was the position as ascertained by those sights latitude 41·33? Can you tell me? - Yes, 41·3 N., 50·9 W. 8822. That is your noon position? - Yes. 8823. Are you able from working back from that noon position to fix accurately the position of the wreckage which you came up to at 8.30? - Yes. 8824. How many miles had you traveled between the time you proceeded on your course and when you took this position? - About four or five miles. 8825. According to your log, you proceeded on your course at 11.20? - Yes. 8826. And you stopped close to the “Carpathia” at 8.30? - Yes. 8827. And remained until 11.20? - Yes. 8828. And between 11.20 and noon you say you traveled some four or five miles? - Yes. 8829. Were you encountering ice at the time? - Yes. 8830. Is the position stated in your log as the position in which you were searching for the boats of the “Titanic” accurate or not - latitude 41·33 north and longitude 50·1 west? - Yes. 8831. Was that the latitude and longitude in which you found the wreckage? - Yes. 8832. How many miles was the position of the wreckage from the place where you had been stopped from 10.21 the night before until six o’clock that morning? - About thirty miles. 8833. Do you know in what direction, thirty miles? - About south a little east. 8834. Assuming the “Titanic” struck the iceberg in the position which was reported by the “Virginian” at 6 a.m., according to your log, latitude 41.46 north and longitude 50.14 west, how far was that position from the place where you were stopped? - About 19 or 20 miles. 8835. And bearing how? - Bearing about south-south-west - south, a little west. 8836. Could the “Titanic,” assuming she was in either of those two positions, or was to the eastward of either of those two positions, by any possibility have been visible to anyone on board your ship while you were lying stopped in the ice? - No. 8837. Do you think her rockets could have been seen in the latitude in which she was? - I do not think so, Sir. The Commissioner: All this does not impress my mind much. It all proceeds upon the assumption that all these figures are right. The other evidence to my mind is of vastly more importance. However, I do not want to shut you out from it, you know. 8838. (Mr. Dunlop.) You have heard my Lord’s observation. Have you any reason to doubt the accuracy of these latitudes? - No, Sir. The Commissioner: The previous officer told me, in answer to a question, that I think you yourself suggested, that he was satisfied that it was the “Titanic,” and at present I do not mind telling you that is my attitude of mind. You may perhaps change it. Mr. Dunlop: I hope to succeed, my Lord. The Commissioner: What do you think? Mr. Dunlop: I submit, my Lord - The Commissioner: Oh no, I am not asking you - I am asking the witness.